Ten-year animal ban after neglect

A man allowed to have pets despite having a record of animal neglect is now banned from owning any creatures for a decade.

Ronald Ward was sentenced in the Palmerston North District Court to five months’ community detention and six months’ supervision for neglecting the animals, Wags and Heidi.

Ward is no stranger to neglecting animals, being convicted in the same court in 2015 alongside his brother Lawrence for neglecting a 227-strong menagerie. One of those animals included Tip, a female dog found in extremely poor condition.

He was banned from owning or controlling all animals for seven years as a result of the 2015 offending, but given an exemption to own two companion animals.

That ban still applied when an SPCA inspector discovered Ward’s latest offending when visiting his Foxton property in December 2019.

Wags, a brown and tan female huntaway, had growth giving off discharge in her right ear and signs of disease in her left ear.

She also had fleas and signs of dehydration, with a vet finding she suffered for months yet treatment was simple.

Heidi, a white female shih tzu, had heavily matted hair which hid her eyes and the pads of her feet.

A vet found Heidi was severely underweight, severely constipated and suffering from tumours, overgrown toe nails digging into the pads of her feet and fleas. Her eyes had also crusted over with old discharge, she suffered corneal scarring and was completely blind. Ward told the SPCA he knew Heidi had issues but was planning on getting her ‘‘cleaned up’’ or put down. He also knew Wags’ ears were not good, but said he was treating it.

Defence lawyer Gareth Stone said there was no argumentward should be disqualified from owning or controlling all animals for a lengthy period of time.

He had not breached his first disqualification, but it was ‘‘obviously not ideal’’ he had offended again, Stone said.

A pre-sentence report writer found Ward likely suffered from a mental health condition akin to a hoarding complex, which probably played a part in the latest offending.

Ward should not be given a purely punitive sentence if his condition played a part in his latest neglect, Stone said.

Lawyer Tom Bagnall, appearing for the SPCA, said Ward’s previous offending had to be taken into account. Ward must also pay $1658 in vet costs and $500 legal costs.